Supermarkets across Essex are planning to close tomorrow for the Queen Mother's funeral as a mark of respect.

Some shops in the county were planning to observe a two-minute silence at 11.30am, while others planned to close for the duration of the service.

Sainsbury's in Colchester will close between 10.30am until 1pm. Woolworths in Culver Square shopping centre will observe a two-minute silence at 11.30am.

Centre manager Derek Ashbee said it was being left up to the individal shops to decide how to mark the occasion. Members of Colchester's newly formed Independent Traders' Association will observe the two minutes silence.

Waitrose in Eastern Avenue, Southend, will be among 136 in the John Lewis partnership which will remain shut until 2pm.

Russell Cattrell, manager of Southend's Waitrose confirmed the decision had been made to close the stores as a mark of respect to the Queen Mother's funeral.

He said: "Most of the staff will be given the morning off work so they can stay at home to watch the funeral if they wish.

"There will however be a core of workers that come to work to make sure that everything is prepared for shoppers when the store opens at 2pm."

Deputy leader of Castle Point Council Dave Blackwell said he thought larger stores would shut down so people could watch the funeral.

He said: "Out of all the royal family the Queen Mum was probably the most loved. A lot of people who are not royalists have a soft spot for her, it is the end of an era."

The Asda superstore in North Shoebury Road, Shoebury will be closed from between 10.30am and 1pm on the day.

A spokesman for Asda revealed that its chain of 252 supermarkets throughout the UK would be closed for that period.

He said: "We feel it is appropriate to close all the stores on such an occasion and the decision was made to reflect the wishes of shoppers and staff alike."

Waitrose in High Street Billericay will also close. Staff at Iceland, in Rectory Road, Hadleigh, were last week waiting on confirmation from head office to see if the store would close, as were staff at local branches of Sainsbury's, Tesco and Somerfield stores in Southend, Wickford, Rayleigh, Canvey, South Benfleet, Billericay and Basildon.

Schools in Essex have been given a remit to observe the occasion as they see fit.

Headteachers were sent advice from the Government urging them to consider allowing some pupils to watch the funeral live in school.

But Essex County Council, the local education authority (LEA), has stepped back from making recommendations, instead allowing school managers to make their own decisions.

Published Monday, April 8, 2002